Praying Together 20th April 2025

John Donne’s poem ‘Good Friday 1613. Riding Westward’ describes his emotions as he turns his back on the crucified Christ – not because he doesn’t believe – but because he does, and he can’t bear the pain of watching Christ’s agony. He rides away, hoping that in concentrating on worldly things, he will be able to dismiss the thoughts of Jesus’ death – but he can’t. He feels that his sins must first be punished – and this can happen through grace alone as his Redeemer takes those sins to the Cross. And he realises that through Christ, and only through Christ, will he be able to see his Saviour’s face as the curtain of separation is torn in two.

Donne’s life changed that day as he understood that his spiritual life was more important than anything the secular life could offer.

So many others have experienced a life-changing moment as they encounter Christ face-to-face in the strangest places. Donne was riding from Warwickshire to Wales. Paul’s life changed on the road to Damascus as he left behind the restricting fog of rules and regulation and chose the fresh air of freedom. John Wesley felt the warmth of the Spirit as he encountered Christ in a profound new understanding at a meeting in Aldersgate he really didn’t want to attend. C.S.Lewis’ reluctant acceptance of Christ took place on a bus ride in Oxford.

On the most dramatic and significant Friday in the history of the World, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two. We have a choice. Do we turn our back, frightened to see the face of Christ, or do we walk past the curtain to greet Him and welcome Him into the centre of our being?

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

Deuteronomy 30:19

Easter Day – Resurrection. Luke 24:1-12

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Lord God, early in the morning, when the world was young, you made life in all its beauty and terror; you gave birth to all that we know: sky and seas; plants and trees; bodies of light in the sky; creatures of the land, water, and air; man and woman.

Early in the morning, when the world least expected it, a newborn child crying in a cradle announced that you had come among us, that you were one of us. The angels proclaimed it, the shepherds heard it, and in obedience . . . worshipped.

Years later, early in the morning, surrounded by respectable liars, religious leaders, anxious statesmen, and silent friends, you accepted the penalty for doing good, for being God: You shouldered and suffered the cross, and with the words, “It is finished!” you put an end to our hopeless state of death, giving instead the promise of salvation and life.

Early in the morning, a voice in a guarded graveyard, empty cloths and footsteps in the dew proved that you had risen, that you had come back to those and for those who had forgotten, denied, and destroyed you. God raised Jesus from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Early in the morning, the body of believers gather together, one in faith and hope, one in purpose: To believe in and worship you, the one Lord, Jesus Christ, To live forgiven and thankful lives, and to celebrate the victory over death and the promise of eternal life.

So together, morning, noon and night, we shout Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Go, in awe of the creation, incarnation, death, and resurrection of our God and give thanks that God has raised Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses to the fact. Amen. He is risen!

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